Singlepower extreme - so many for sale right now, why? - Page 3

i think people like to move on and try new things, regardless of the quality or their enjoyment of the amp/headphone.

As far as my statement on the subject of balanced - this still could be argued, I am not going to try to take sides here since I do not have sufficient experience with balanced, but when you are buying a high end single ended amp, equivalently designed balanced amp is TWICE the amplification (unless it is not running in quad mono design, but there is still hellish increase in circuitry size and complexity). I am under an impression that if we both buy an amp thats worth 5000 bucks, and one is designed to be a single-ended amp for that much money while other is balanced for that same amount of money, the difference will be a different story, but when we talk taking the sound of RPX-33, dual mono single ended, and turn it into a balanced design, quad-mono, look at the sudden price spike, and honestly, the designs of each single amp stage look identical (don't see why they would not be). This is a speculation, since I have yet to hear a 5000 dollar SE amplifier -_- (And the balanced B-52 was really really gorgeous sounding).

Now on the case of high-end vs ultra-high end and selling of SPs, things get kinda interesting. Selling an Extreme is definitely something, it is an amazing amplifier, so as Boomana states it, it is due to other issues. But the MPX series - those come under 2 grand, and to people with a steady job with decent paycheck, while expensive, this is an affordable experiment. Frankly I personally heard 2 MPX3s (one was the Toaster version) at the meet, and liked neither, but by the way they are spoken about on this forum its what I should have been shooting for >.< It is an expensive experiment, but I am supposing that people without comfort of going to the meets would try it out without excessive blinking. (This in a way is also a logical speculation).

I have written this several times, each being a bit caustic(I guess my nature). My concern is not that they are up for sale, but the lack of value they are receiving. Indications are that SP is overpriced. By how much won't be known because of the "sold" practice of not listing the final sell price. I don't want to believe SP stands for Suckers Please, but approx. 3000 reads and no offers? How low will they go to get them sold?

I'd love to get an Extreme. However on this amp and a few other SP amps I have read about the issue of amps not having black backgrounds, ie with the pot turned all the way down with music playing sound still leaks through. Apparently it's pretty bad with some and others only experience it with low Z headphones (this is from messaging various owners). To me this is unacceptable for a high end audio product.

So if I were to buy I'd buy new and personally request that Mikhail check the amp to see that it was black. To add to that, I'm sure some people are aware of the ridiculously long build (and repair) times if ordered new. Another reason keeping me at bay for now.

I'm not going to speculate why so many singlepower amps are in the FS section right now, but in my year as an active member I have seen similar things numerous times. Things come and go, I'm not going to complain at how many SP amps are flooding the forum right now because I want one! lol. I've looked at every thread and if I had the money I would have bought already. But I'm currently in negotiations for a PPX3

I agree, but the amps I mentioned above, with the exception of the ZD, which has been out for a bit longer, have only been in the world since the new year. I'm just having a hard time imagining anyone, though I'm sure there are at least a couple people, hearing one of these fine amps, choosing to invest the money, and then turning around and selling it within a few months. A year or two, maybe, but these amps are really too good (the only one I haven't heard is the Apache) to just drop on a whim. I'm thinking there must be other reasons.

Then again, I seem to remember one Extreme being sold because the seller bought a balanced Rudistor at the national meet along with balanced Ultrasones. I also know one person who recently sold his ZD, not because he didn't love it, but the Woo WA5 came out and gave him everything he wanted, including the ability to consolidate his speaker/headphone rigs. I doubt he'll be selling that any time soon. So, maybe I'm wrong, and people like what they like when they like it and then buy and sell when the mood strikes. Who knows, maybe I'm next.

I see great opportunities...

Tube amps are not for everyone.

[QUOTE/boomana] I also know one person who recently sold his ZD, not because he didn't love it, but the Woo WA5 came out and gave him everything he wanted, including the ability to consolidate his speaker/headphone rigs. I doubt he'll be selling that any time soon. So, maybe I'm wrong, and people like what they like when they like it and then buy and sell when the mood strikes. Who knows, maybe I'm next. [/QUOTE]

That is pretty much the reason people sell what they have. I have sold dozens of some of the best audio gear made(both headphone and speaker) over the years. Not because they didnt sound great or work right...but because my system was changing and, or room size was changed. The Singlepower amps (along with many others for sale used) are VERY, VERY good. One mans loss is another mans gain. So of all the reasons for selling in this thread the one in your post that says..
People like what they like when they like it and then buy and sell when the mood strikes. Holds the most true.
In the first five pages of amps for sale there are
11 headroom
10 Ray Samuels
10 Mier
9 Singlepower
7 Headamp
amps for sale. No magic reasons. People either dont use them, found something they like more, need the money, or whatever.
They like what they like when they like it and then buy and sell when the mood strikes. If I was in the market for a headphone amp I wouldnt be wondering why the amps from these great builders are for sale....but how I can come up with the money to get one at used prices.

Balanced

Balanced setups had their FOTM with stereos years ago (late 90s). I guess headfiers are behind with that. Balanced setups are not the be all end all of speaker setups, but some prefer them. Some prefer single ended.

Dang, this should be the end of the thread. Nice.

I concur...but I have one more thing, sorry

I think the issue here is that either the original poster or others feel that a product's perceived value is partly based on how often it appears on the for sale forums. This is obviously untrue, and I hope anyone out there especially new head-fiers looking for amps take this into consideration. It is not correct, and unfair to the manufacturer, to equate a product's consistent appearance on the for sale boards with its value and sonic quality. Those two things, as shown in some of the posts above, are totally unrelated. Tom Hankins appears to have nailed it on the head why there is this reocurring theme with certain maps constantly in for sale rotation. As a new user, this is simply a great opportunity to check out an amp, and be able to sell it down the line for minimal loss, which is a great way to audition products (even better than a meet format) if you have the resources to do so.

Notably, headroom amps for sale are usually the smaller desktop/micro modules, RSAs are ENTIRELY portable on the FS forums, I think I can dig out like one Raptor for sale? Headamps are a middle ground, but also usually not the monsters. Not to comment on Meiers, but they are also bit of middle-ground in the sales. SP amps are all large amplifiers, and all can be considered high end, I just think the fact that they went for sale, and then are hanging there in mid-air tells us something. If someone put up a B52 or something, I bet it would go just like that. Yes we have reasons for buying and selling, but if we take the whole picture into the concern, that looks bad for the amps that seem to be the most advertised on the forum. There are alot of people looking into amps in sub-1000 range, and this is just their opportunity, and they choose not to bite. There is a reason behind it.

Also the not-dark background of SP amps as mentioned above by another poster - it has been annoyance to a number of people I spoke to, and certainly is not acceptable for an amp of such high cost. Hell, I have dismissed $400 amps on that basis as it is annoying, I would be very unhappy if I paid 2000 bucks for one.

The only issue I find with that logic is that all SP amps are large and hi-end, so what do you expect?

Like myself and others that have posted above, it is unfair and downright irresponsible to equate sonic value and quality to # of appearances on a for sale board.

I am not equating by appearance, I am equating by the hard time they are having getting off the FS board.

That's when one's perception, however understandable, needs to be countered. There are amps for sale that no one's picked up on yet. That doesn't change the quality of the amp. It's a false correlation. To make that connection is to use faulty logic. To not buy based on a faulty conclusion, if you're in the market, is to do yourself a disservice. To suggest to others that there may be something wrong with the amps, again, based on faulty logic, is doing them a disservice. (btw, I'm aware you're not doing this on purpose, but simply putting forth a perception that needs correction )